After Utopia
by simptasia
Summary: As the very creative title suggests, this is set shortly after the Master steals the TARDIS is Utopia. The Master gets used to his recent regeneration and has a chat with an old friend.


As Jack and Martha were holding the lab door closed against The Future Kind; The Doctor was too stunned to help. He wasn't the last Timelord anymore, and out of all the other Timelords that could've come back, it was his friend, his enemy, the Master.

And he was stealing his TARDIS!

"So, Doctor, why don't we have a nice little chat and I explain my plans to you so you can figure out how to stop me, _I don't think!"_

The Master had made that mistake before, he wasn't going to again. The Doctor couldn't unlock the door, his only chance was to try and reason with the newly regenerated madman.

"Stop, this isn't the way! It's different now, there's only two of us!"

"Say my name..."

The Doctor complied, choking out barely a whisper. "Master."

The Master grinned. It sounded so good when the Doctor said it.

Jack and Martha kept calling for the Doctor to help but he wasn't paying them any attention.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

The Master tipped his head, pretending to consider accepting his apology. "Tough!"

With that it was time to use those old piloting skills; it had been years since the Master had his own TARDIS and this one was like a junkyard but, like riding a bicycle, it came back to him.

The Doctor couldn't let him get away, so with one minor adjustment to his Sonic Screwdriver he locked the TARDIS controls.

"Oh, no you don't!"

The Master still had a few tricks up his sleeves; he was getting the hell out of there.

_Vworp vworp vworp…_

The TARDIS was gone, leaving The Doctor shocked and remorseful.

"Doctor! We can't hold the door much longer!" yelled Jack.

"Doctor! Help us!"

The TARDIS and her unwanted passenger were now zipping through the time vortex, on their way to 21st century Earth.

The Master cricked his neck in pain; that regeneration was more pain then he'd ever want to feel again.

"Note to self: Regenerating in someone else's TARDIS hurts worse than a bugger without lube."

_You're lucky I even let you regenerate._

That's a voice The Master hadn't heard in a while.

"Ah, she speaks! And here I thought the Doctor had disabled your telepathy!"

_He wouldn't do that._

The Master outstretched his arms as if he was going to hug the TARDIS.

"Aren't you glad to see me, my darling?"

_The only reason I'm not going to kill you is because your survival is important to my Doctor._

"Oh, _your Doctor,_ is he now? Oh, fine, just forget I had him before you did. Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetness."

_Stop calling me pet names._

"No thanks." The Master activated the readout screen.

"21st century Earth? Well, _your_ Doctor is an idiot. I could do so much damage there."

_If I had a choice I'd drop you in a volcano._

"You wouldn't dare. Hey, why is it taking so long to get there?"

_You damaged my controls, that in addition to that time lock the Doctor did, I'm a bit messed up._

The Master rubbed his hand against the console.

"Be good and I might not rip out your consciousness while I modify you."

_Modify me?_

"All in good time!" The Master stepped back from the console and started running around again, all full of energy.

"Where's a mirror? I want to see how it turned out!"

_You bounce around like him. Sometimes I worry about my circuits. Lately all the people who've regenerated in me have turned out manic. _She commented as she brought down a mirror for the Master.

"I'm like the Doctor? Oh please."

The Master took a step in front of the mirror.

"Huh."

He ran one hand over his jaw and the other threw his hair.

"Well, this is different. Kind of.. ratty."

He was a scrawny little thing, that's for sure but handsome nonetheless. Yes, he could live like this.

_You're a bit short. Lovely smile though._

"Hmm. I do have potential. I could break a few hearts."

_Literally._

There was a loud thunk and the whole room shaked.

_We've landed._

"Why has everything gone sparkly?"

_You've just regenerated. Even in your own TARDIS, there would've been some side effects._

The Master giggled. "You're really started to show your age!"

_Excuse me?_

"Look at you, you're a junk heap! You're falling apart, woman!"

_You need to lie down._

"Look here, frumpy, I'll lie down when I want to lie down."

If the TARDIS had eyes, she'd be rolling them.

He was swirling around now, like a drunk.

_If you land on my grating, you'll hurt yourself._

"Like you care! You wanted to drop me in a volcano! I bet you were dying to turn me into a deformity when I changed!"

_Stop it! Sit down before you fall down. I don't want you hurt._

The Master complied, taking a seat on the Doctor's little couch.

"I'm so dizzy.. Is it my imagination or does it smell like bananas in here?"

_We've landed you know._

"I know.. But I can't go out like this. I feel sick. Anyway, I haven't got any place to live.. I had planned on staying here."

…_Fine. You know where your room is._

"I bet that sentimental fool has left it untouched."

_It's like a bloody shrine in there._

The Master chuckled and gave the TARDIS console a quick pat before making his way down the corridor.

"You know," he said calling to the ceiling. "What I said about your aging… I'm uh.. you know."

_Sorry?_

He cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. That."

_If I didn't know any better I'd think you were being nice to me._

The Master smiled, resting his head against his room door.

"Just don't tell anybody." He whispered huskily.

The TARDIS walls vibrated a bit.

"What was that?" he was playing dumb.

_Just go to sleep._

He took a look around his room, it was just the same. The Doctor must go in there a lot because there wasn't even a bit of dust and The Master hadn't been in there for centuries. He hadn't been welcome. But here it was just the same except for a few lit candles around the place and the strong smell of The Doctor's scent.

_He's in here more than he is in Rose's room. My poor Doctor, he's been so sad lately. He cries alot. _

The Master was on his bed, slipping off his shoes.

"Who's Rose?" that caught his attention.

_An old companion, she's trapped in another universe. Lost forever. She was special to him. Rose had looked into my heart. For a brief moment, she had complete control over the universe. Even more so than a Timelord._

The Master stopped undressing; hanging on the TARDIS's every word.

"Did he.. love her?"

She said nothing.

"Say it."

_He loved her._

The Master grabbed his bedside lamp and threw it at the wall.

There was a loud vworping noise.

_That hurt!_

"I don't care if it hurt! Believe me when I'm done with you, a lamp at your wall will seem like pleasure toyou!"

The Master stormed around his room kicking his furniture.

"Every stinking little ape on this filthy planet will be begging for death when I'm done with them! I'm.. I'll… I…"

_Its okay I won't judge you._

His eyes were beginning to water. He then collapsed onto the floor and starting rocking back and forth, sobbing.

_It's okay. It's okay. You're just going through an emotional time…_

"Don't mock me. How dare you condescend to me! I am your Master! Don't you ever speak to me like that again!"

_You think it didn't make me angry too? I had to see it all. Them together. I wouldn't have minded if he was with a Time Lady or Timelord. But a human? It's so beneath him._

"Heh, how could he miss me when he has you?"

_You need sleep._

"Yeah." He said, crawling back onto his bed.

_I've been meaning to ask you something._

"Hmm?"

_You're not going to hurt him, are you?_

"Yes… But no more than he deserves."

_Just.. don't kill him. Please. You need each other._

"I don't need him." He scoffed.

_I know you better than that._

"Good night. We have a long day tomorrow."

The lights dimmed.

_I know…_


End file.
